National Republican., 1887-10-06
A DIarnsted Democrnt.


There are Democrats who refuse to be
used as the tools Of ballot.box suffers and
political thieves, aud Maryland seems to
be producing good crop Of that class
The last to show his abhorrence OF the
methods by which Maryland is made Demo-
cratic Is the official head of the party organ
ization In Baltimore, Mr.. w. Benton Crisp.
Mr. Crisp is the president Of the Demo-
cratic City Convention, which body was or
gaDized to control and manage party
affairs In the city, 1t will be seen by Mr..
Cfisp's letter, given below, that ring OF
corrupt politicians have usurped the power
Of the committee, and Mr.. Crisp does not
propose to he held accountable for the bal
lot-box stufling aud frauds they committed
This letter from Democrat, who Is
above suspicion as to his politics and who
has been honored by Democrats with high
official position in the party organization,
settles the fact beyond contradiction that
fraud and rascality dominate the Demo
cratic party In Maryland.
1t can no longer be denied that the man
ayers OF the Democratic party have "robbed
the ballot boxes, perverted the registration
lists into instruments Of fraud" and FUSED
the patronage Of the federal, state, and city
governments corruptly, for the purpose of
perpetuatiDg their hold upon the party or
gani2atlon, which they misrepreseut and
disgrace" The charge is made by man
who knows what is being done, and refuses
to be an instrument Of fraud, or to have his
good name tainted by such practices.
President Cleveland may want to inquire
what part Of the federal patronage has been
used to perpetuate Democratic rascals In
power in Maryland. Mr.. Crisp makes the
charge that 1t has been, and we give his
letter In full :
OCTOBER 4, l5s7.-HoN. FETrER s. HoBLtr.
| ZELI., Chairman of the Democratic City Exec l.
tive Committee Dear Sir: herewith hand you
| my resignation of the presidency of the Dem j.
cratic City Convention, and trust 1t is scarcely
necessary that should state 1t is after the
most mature consideration that do So. II
would not be just to my friends, nor to myself
| to take 30 important a step without assigning
| some good and sufficient reason for 80 dOing.
| The Democratic City Convention, of which a n
president, is a body organized, take IT, for thr
management of party affairs in this city, aud
| as such body should by its acts, voice the
| sentiment of the whole party. II has become
| quite clear to my mind that the city conven-
| ,Iop, as ut present constituted does not repre-
sent the party, but registers simply the dccreg'
| of few unscrupulous persons. The party Is ID
favor OF fair elections and an honest count. 1t i
in tavorof placing all elections, be they general
| or primary, under the sanction of a stringent
law. How is it with those who claim to be
| the party, who control conventions aud nomi
nate candidates? How is 1t, indeed, with
those who control the city convention TO- lay
They have resorted Systematically to fraudu
lent methods to maintain their control and
power. When the bold fight was made in the
city convention in May last, under the iuspira
tion of the Crescent Club, and us the result oi
intelligent effort to secure a better condition
OF things in party affairs for fair and legalized
primaries, the dominant element in the con.
| yenton refused to surround these elections
with such legal safeguards as would secure fol
| them the confidence of the honest Democratic
masses. Recent developments have shown
indeed, have proven beyond II question-tha
those persons who have control absolutely
of party affairs to-day. and who arrogltt
10 themselves aud to themselves alone
the name Of the Democratic party, have
| with their agcnts-often ignorant mcn-
robbed the ballot boxes, perverted the reg
| istration likts into instruments OF ftaud
and have used the patronage of the fed
eral, state, and city governments corruptlJ
for the purpose of perpetuating their hole
upon the party organization, which they mis-
represent and disgrace. For these reasons
cannot remain officially aud prominently con
nected with The party organization as It OK
Its at present. When, however, hone,
methods shall again obtain in the Democrats
organization, and iair elections shall be con
ceded; when the present usurpers shall b
swept out OF power, and honest men substi
tuted, then shall be found In the foremos
ranks ofmy patty, promoting its interests Il
every possible WY 5nd advocating its prime
ples for be It dptinctly understood that S
lorP as the blood shall course through m
veins am still, ana ever will he, n Democrat
Very respectfully, W. BENroN CRISP.
This letter would be Instructive readln
to the Bourbons in every southern state.